The first order of business at Queen\u2019s Park will likely be healthcare<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Progressive Conservatives are expected to push forward their new health-care plan, which focuses on reducing surgical backlogs by allowing private clinics to conduct certain operations<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Among the operations that private clinics will be able to perform under the Ontario Health Insurance Plan are cataract surgeries, as well as diagnostic procedures such as MRI and CT scans, ophthalmic surgeries, minimally invasive gynecological surgeries and plastic surgeries<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This will be further expanded to include \u201cnon-urgent, low-risk and minimally invasive\u201d procedures, although what this entails has not been released<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As early as 2024, these clinics will also be allowed to perform hip and knee replacements<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Experts have told CTV News Toronto the provincial plan has the potential to reduce Ontario\u2019s surgical backlog, but it will depend on the details. Unions and opposition parties, meanwhile, argued the investment would steal staff from hospitals where they are most needed and lead to potential upselling to patients<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The PCs have said they hope to roll out its new private clinic partnerships by March, meaning it will be one of the first pieces of legislation tabled by the government<\/p>\n\n\n\n
DEVELOPMENT DISPUTES<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Those tuning into Question Period should expect a variety of questioning around Premier Doug Ford\u2019s alleged cozy ties with developers\u2013some of whom attended his daughter\u2019s $150-entry stag and doe party<\/p>\n\n\n\n The revelation that some developers who may have benefited from provincial housing legislation may have attended the event and financially contributed to Ford\u2019s daughter\u2019s wedding has stirred quite the controversy; despite the fact, the province\u2019s integrity commissioner said there was no evidence of wrongdoing<\/p>\n\n\n\n The evidence was provided by the Ford government after questions from the media in January and has not been made public<\/p>\n\n\n\n The premier has repeatedly said the invite list for the party was a personal matter, and that \u201cno one can influence the Fords\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, both the auditor general and the integrity commissioner have launched separate investigations into the Ford government\u2019s decisions to develop parts of the Greenbelt<\/p>\n\n\n\n The auditor general has said they will conduct a value-for-money audit into the financial and environmental impacts of more than 7,000 acres of previously protected land for development. Meanwhile, the integrity commissioner is looking into whether Housing Minister Steve Clark tipped developers off as to what land was being carved up<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s unclear if either of these investigations will be completed during the spring session, but opposition parties will likely continue to use it as an opportunity to take aim at the PCs<\/p>\n\n\n\n SPRING BUDGET<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The province\u2019s spring budget will be presented on or before March 31. When asked about what residents can expect, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy said \u201cmore of the same\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn other words, that we have a plan to build Ontario,\u201d he told reporters on Wednesday<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt’s going to be a plan that updates how we’re doing on those priorities, the government’s priorities to attract investment and good jobs and bigger paychecks in the province, how we’re advancing on our plan to build that infrastructure. And it\u2019s going to talk about the workers\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At the same time, Bethlenfalvy said it’s also time for governments to \u201cshow restraint\u201d with their spending<\/p>\n\n\n\n As of February, the province is reporting a $6.5-billion deficit for the 2022-23 fiscal year<\/p>\n\n\n\n NEW NDP LEADER LOOKS TO MAKE HER MARK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This will be the first session in which Marit Stiles is firmly at the helm of the New Democratic Party<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stiles was confirmed as party leader in early February after running unopposed to replace Andrea Horwath, who resigned from her seat after the June elections<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Toronto-area MPP was first elected in 2018 and has been a prominent voice in the legislature as a former education critic. This, however, will be her first chance to stand across the aisle from the premier as leader of the Official Opposition<\/p>\n\n\n\n A by-election in Hamilton will also test the NDPs resolve. On March 16 voters will head to the polls to elect a replacement for Horwath, who has served as a representative for the riding since 2004<\/p>\n\n\n\n CHANGING RELATIONSHIP WITH TORONTO<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Ford government lost an ally last week with John Tory\u2019s resignation<\/p>\n\n\n\n Tory resigned as mayor of Toronto last week after it was revealed he was having an affair with a younger staffer<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ford and Tory have supported most of each other\u2019s agendas over the last few years, including the use of strong mayor powers to amend bylaws and pass a budget<\/p>\n\n\n\n The premier spoke candidly about his election concerns last week, saying that a left wing mayor would be a \u201cdisaster\u201d for Toronto<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf a lefty mayor gets in there, God help the people at Toronto,\u201d he said<\/p>\n\n\n\n A byelection to replace Tory is likely to occur sometime in the spring or early summer. Ford has said he will work with whoever gets elected, but it\u2019s unclear how this new relationship will impact the rest of his term<\/p>\n\n\n\n ?WHAT\u2019S THE DEAL WITH MIKE SCHREINER<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n ?Will Ontario Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner cross the floor and run to be leader of the Ontario Liberals<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Ontario Liberal Party has been without a permanent leader since its devastating loss during the June 2022 elections. They will be holding their annual general meeting this spring in which rules for the leadership contest will be established<\/p>\n\n\n\n In late January, Schreiner\u2013after getting a letter from 40 liberals in support of him taking the top job\u2013said he would consider running in the race<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs you know, I have always said that I have no ambition to lead any party other than the Ontario Green Party. Yesterday I received a serious letter from people who expressed concerns I share about the current government and the need for urgent action on the climate crisis,\u201d Schreiner said at the time<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo, I\u2019m going to ask people to give me time to think about their arguments\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n After this, a group of Ontario Greens put together a counteroffer for Liberals trying to poach their leader. In their letter, the members say the Liberals can have Schreiner, if they join their party<\/p>\n\n\n\n Schreiner may face questions as the Liberal annual general meeting occurs over whether he actually intends to run\u2013or if his consideration was simply a way to garner more media attention as the sole Green MPP at the legislature<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"Doug](\"https:\/\/www.cp24.com\/polopoly_fs\/1.6273207!\/httpImage\/image.jpg_gen\/derivatives\/landscape_620\/image.jpg\")
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